


cause and effect

by MasterEyebrow



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, M/M, baker!Jenson, nico is kind of a nervous wreck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 07:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21222770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasterEyebrow/pseuds/MasterEyebrow
Summary: Nico has just begun working at the coffee shop, and hasn't had the best of starts. The fact that someone insist there's something strange about all this doesn't help. The fact that this person is also attracted to Nico doesn't either. And of course, they have to be kind of hot, too.





	cause and effect

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vandoorne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vandoorne/gifts).

> alternative summary: nico is such a nervous wreck it not only works as a cockblock, it's also blocking sexual tension, and jenson has like 0% filter from his brain to his mouth.

Nico hasn’t worked at the coffee shop for that long – few weeks, a handful of shifts for each – but he’s already figured out that Jenson is kind of weird. Not in a completely off-putting way, no, he’s friendly (he’s _very_ friendly), and seems fun and yeah, he’s admittedly good-looking, too. It’s just that he’s kind of a conspiracy kook.

Like, there’s no board with strings and pins and photos and question marks that connect seemingly unrelated events and things. Jenson just talks like that, making connections to things that aren’t connected and other dumb shit. Nico isn’t very into that. No one can blame him. It’s not like he talks to customers about conspiracy theories or that he doesn’t have anything else in his life, but every so often he just points out things that sound pretty outlandish. Other employees at the coffee shop don’t seem to have this problem with him, to them it’s an inside joke – Nico is the only one who has to pretend it doesn’t make him uncomfortable.

Sometimes Jenson happens to hit a little too close to truth, see.

It’s the late evening shift – Christmas season, they have a lot of prep work to do so Jenson is baking while Nico does pretty much everything else, every shitty little job around the shop, dashing around and about. They’re closing, but he’s still got at least an hour left before he’s done with everything he’s supposed to do, and he might stick around to help Jenson with the pastries and such if he’s in need of a helping hand – even weirdos shouldn’t have to stick around far into the night for work, right? So yeah, they talk a little bit if Nico happens to be in the same space, nothing too unusual, and then Nico gets to his last shitty little mission – try to clean up and see what the hell happened to the espresso machine that basically exploded today.

Nico knows exactly what happened.

So yeah, the espresso machine that has been hidden away in the backroom is sticky and the smell of coffee is kind of overpowering, and Nico does his best scrubbing it clean. Jenson looks at this desperate effort over the counter, grinning stupidly.

“I don’t know how you, out of all the people, managed to blow that up”, Jenson says sarcastically. Nico glances at him dryly, makes a face at Jenson.

“Shut up, will you?” he replies. “If you’re going to be like that I won’t stick around to help.”

Yeah – Nico has kind of a _reputation _with electronics and machines. On one hand he’s super savvy with them and knows a lot and can do some easy fixes, and on the other hand… he’s the reason why they need fixing a lot of the time. Despite the short time he’s been at the coffee shop, there is an odd number of malfunctions that are related to Nico, and he’d surely get fired for those if it wasn’t for his ability to make up for those.

“Oi, better be nice then. But, just saying – can’t be a coincidence that it’s always you.”

Nico huffs, starts to take apart the machine.

“Are you coming up with a conspiracy theory here? That I’m sabotaging the business or something?” he jokes. Jenson shrugs in response, rolling the dough.

“I don’t think you’re the sabotage type”, Jenson muses, only kind of in on the joke. “It’s too random. Too accidental.”

“But not too random and accidental for me to just be a little bit of a klutz?”

“Exactly.”

Nico gives Jenson a look. It’s responded with the most knowing, self-aware smile – Jenson fucking knows how dumb he sounds and doesn’t care. Kind of respectable, really. Nico rolls his eyes, returns his focus on the espresso machine.

“So”, Jenson continues, tactfully ignores Nico’s efforts to keep conversation to minimum. “When you’re not blowing up things or putting them back together, what do you do?”

“You mean my personal life, do you?”

“Sure. Hobbies, leisure activities – relationships?”

There’s a tone. A flirty one. Nico doesn’t even dignify this a callous look, but it merits an involuntary reaction – he blushes, even more reason to not turn to face Jenson.

“Why, you interested?” Nico scoffs. Jenson hums in response.

“You’re not wrong there”, he says.

*

It’s packed at the coffee shop, a super-busy day – Nico hasn’t had a moment to catch his breath, and the line doesn’t show any signs of getting shorter. They also keep running out of the baked goods, and Jenson is constantly refilling the trays and shelves.

“I spent 7 hours here yesterday just baking, and guess what? We’re going to run out at this rate”, Jenson scoffs. He’s unusually grumpy, most likely for the extreme rush.

“How much is there left?”

“I think I’ll have to start baking again in an hour so we’ll have enough at the end of the day.”

“Why is it so busy today, even?” Nico says. It’s small talk, but of course Jenson doesn’t see it that way.

“Hmh, it’s a curious thing.”

Nico rolls his eyes. He’s finished with the customer’s coffee and turns around, ever-so charmant as he hands it over and starts serving the next one in line. Jenson walks past him just as Nico gets the order down, mutters something about getting more éclairs from the back before disappearing into there. Nico turns around, starts putting the drink together – but of course, it’s so goddamn busy there’s no time to refill jars and shit, let alone put the empty ones away, so he has to reach up for the full jar on the top self, and of course, it’s one of those stupid jars that are impossible to open, so Nico’s there looking like an idiot trying to open the stupid can, and oh - _now _the customer asks about allergens or something like that, and Nico spins around, does his best to not look as pathetic as he does, and _of course_ that goes completely out of the drain because Jenson happens to just come back and runs into Nico, almost dropping his éclair tray and absolutely dropping some f-bombs – and of course, that’s also when Nico gets the jar open, and the powder inside just explodes everywhere, as if they needed a mess to top this off –

Nico breathes some of it in, and goes pale as he realises what is about to happen, and sneezes before he can do anything about it.

At that exact same moment, because it’s not already enough of a scene – the electricity goes down in the coffee shop.

Nico is frozen in spot, there is some nervous and surprised chatter among the clients, and Jenson looks at Nico, brow quirked, dots connecting in his head.

“Well, that’s curious”, he says, but before Nico can answer Jenson is taking the situation in his hands, reassuring the clients as he looks for the main switch, and Nico manages to pull himself together to help around.

It’s all useless though. Not only is the coffee shop out of power, but the entire block. As the situation is out of their capability, they do what they can do – sell some cold coffee and the baked goods they have at their disposal and close early when they run out of customers.

Nico locks the door with some fumbling – it’s pretty dark in there, the only lights they have are the few battery-operated lights Jenson fished out of some cleaning closet, and their phone flash lights. Cleaning up won’t be easy.

“You’ve taken your talent to a whole new level”, Jenson says, by now a bit humorous. “Don’t know how you did it this time, but the whole block! Man, that is something.”

“Sure”, Nico replies, lamely tries to sound as if he’s joining the banter as he puts the chairs on top of the tables. He should probably add something there, but he’s just a bit too jittery to come up with anything even remotely funny. That seems to be suspicious to Jenson, as he peers Nico from behind the counter as he cleans the mess behind it, only half of his face visible – still enough to make Nico even more nervous, which of course, makes him even more suspicious.

“You know, you’re not exactly behaving normally there”, Jenson points out the obvious. “No snarky comments or calling me a kook?”

“You are a kook.”

“Oi, that’s shady too, doing it when I said about it. Oh, right, don’t go opening the refrigerators, the food won’t spoil as long as they’re kept shut.”

The switching between professional problem solving and absurd accusations that Jenson does would be hilarious if Nico wasn’t breaking a cold sweat.

“I’m guessing tomorrow we can’t be open? Unless they fix the power”, Nico tries to change the subject. Jenson hums in response, scraping something off the floor loudly.

“I think so. Still waiting for a response from boss. If you’re done there come back here and hold the light for me – I mean, you could light up the whole room with your radiant smile, but flashlight will have to do now.”

“I’m kind of done with your stupid implications of me doing this”, Nico says, exasperated as he walks to the counter. Jenson looks up at him, brow quirked, just a little hint of smugness there as a grin creeps on his face.

“Oh, I was flirting, actually”, he explains, the casual tone of his voice almost morbid to hear. Bless the cover of the dark, because Nico is definitely blushing right now. He rolls his eyes, tries to behave dismissively and climbs up on the counter, sitting on his knees. Jenson hands his own phone to Nico – he’s holding both of theirs now, and Nico is kind of sure that two phones’ flashlights won’t create more light but he’s not about to make any criticism now.

“So – any plans for the night?” Jenson asks, again far too comfortable for Nico’s liking. Can’t a man just choose to be one thing and stick to it, not change between weird accusation and flirting and whatnot?

“Is this you making a move on me again?”

Jenson chuckles as he wipes the floor with a cloth.

“If you’re free, then yes. Are you?”

Oh, Nico is desperately free. What is waiting for him at home is a pile of dishes, one busted toaster and takeout, probably. Lately there’s been a lot of clashing schedules with him and his friends so he’s starting to feel like a hermit, his only social outlet the coffee shop and Whatsapp. He’s so desperate for something else than staying home alone that even an outing with Jenson is an option he’s willing to consider.

“Would that mean you’re just bullying me for the entirety, or what?” Nico asks.

“When have I ever bullied you?”

Nico gives him the dirtiest look. Jenson just smiles back.

“I’m thinking this bar, my mate’s band has a gig there – just a pint or two and chilling. What do you say?”

“Do you always romance new employees?”

“Oh no, it’s ill-advised to hit on your co-workers.”

“Then what you are doing right now? God – do you realise how strange you are?” Nico scoffs.

Jenson winks in response. How infuriating.

“So – you up for an outing or?”

At that very moment, before Nico can come up with an excuse or a response or anything smart, one of the chairs falls of the table, clattering so-very loudly and yeah, it scares the bejeezus out of Nico – Jenson, too, but that’s not particularly important. What is important is that Nico yelps, almost loses his balance on the counter but Jenson is alert and stands up to support him – and lo and behold, completely and utterly coincidentally, the power is back and the lights turn on.

They’re silent for a moment, too long for comfort, Jenson’s hands on Nico’s shoulder and ribs, and their eyes meet – Nico knows Jenson can see the truth in his eyes, he just knows, but he can’t just drop it like nothing, that’d be nutty.

“If you say anything about your stupid conspiracies I’ll clock you right here and now”, Nico announces, steady and stern with experience. Jenson cocks his head, actually pondering something.

“I’ll tell you what. You join me for a pint and I’ll never say a word about these things again.”

*

He actually agreed to that. He actually agreed to such stupid, simple terms.

God, maybe he is too lonely. Maybe he should get a cat.

No, but Jenson isn’t totally a bad company – he’s actually a _person_, like, with dimensions and life and stuff, now that Nico’s sworn him to shut up about coincidences and conspiracies. He’s fun – really fun, and buys Nico drinks so that’s nice. The gig is absolute shite though, garbage music through and through, but Jenson seems to enjoy this despite being very much aware of it (they keep talking how awful it is and it’s _so_ great).

“How do you know this guy, even?” Nico asks when Jenson brings him another pint and sits down. “Not music class, I suppose.”

“Oh, no no – Mark and I, we just sort of met. We have, how’d you say this – connections.”

Nico makes a face at the word, and Jenson laughs.

“He’s not my co-conspirator or anything, but it’s kind of complicated – but not like, you know. We haven’t been in the sack.”

Nico huffs, amused. “You say this because you’re trying to get me in the said sack, correct?”

“See, you have a mind of a detective – what a great pair we’d make, eh?”

“Do you want to seduce me or make me your co-conspirator? I’m not quite sure here, please elaborate”, Nico says – in good humour. Mostly.

“Whichever comes first”, Jenson replies, winks – then there’s clapping and other noise, the band stops, and Jenson and Nico applause politely, Jenson yelling something that seems to be very much an inside joke. The guitarist – Mark, Nico has figured – points at Jenson, says something that is lost in the noise. Jenson laughs, leans closer to Nico.

“Mark’s going to come here to roast you”, he says. Nico scoffs, sips on his beer.

“What’s there to roast? Is it that embarrassing to be seen with you?”

“Absolutely. Lowest of lows, accepting to have a pint with me will ruin your dating prospects once and for all.”

“Oh, so nothing’s changing, then.”

“Oi, oi, stop with the self-roasting, let Mark do his job, okay?”

Sure enough, Mark squeezes over in a few seconds, makes a hasty introduction and starts busting balls with Jenson, ignores Nico for a couple of moments before turning his attention on him – he seems normal enough, despite questionable company and lack of talent.

“So where did Jenson find you from? You seem a little too good for him, but I could be wrong.”

“We’re co-workers”, Nico replies, smiles politely. Mark might’ve started right away, but Nico prefers to make a first impression before tearing into someone. Recognition flashes on Mark’s face, and he barks a laughter.

“Wait, are you the new guy who makes everything explode? I’ve heard about you, Jenson seems to think you’re some kind of a witch or something.”

“Yes, that’s me”, Nico admits, looks over at Jenson. “And we agreed that I’d come here only if this wouldn’t rise up as a topic.”

“Oi, I said I wouldn’t mention it ever again – to Mark you’re free meat”, Jenson defends himself, hands lifted. “Be kind to him, sweet Mark, I’d really like Nico to like me, you know?”

“I can’t be kind and let that happen, that is a paradox, mate.”

“You’re supposed to roast him, not me! Stay focused, Marky boy”, Jenson says, takes Mark’s head between his hands and turns his face back to Nico. “There’s your target.”

“Right, hold on a second”, Mark says, looks Nico up and down in examination. Nico quirks his brow judgmentally. There’s a lot of things that can be said about him, but Mark’s not going to find anything based on his looks, that’s for sure, and he seems to realise this himself as he returns to the Big No-topic.

“You mind coming backstage and checking your instruments? Maybe you can zap some juice into them so we sound better.”

“You would need that, wouldn’t you”, Nico smiles kindly, downs his pint. “You sound pretty shite.”

“Aye, that’s kind of your theme – we want to be real, you know, have a loyal following and not some crew who just listens to us because we’re popular.”

“Oh, so your target audience is deaf?”

Mark laughs, nudges Jenson. “I like this one, he’s totally way too good for you.”

*

It’s a fun night – it’s a _really_ fun night – so fun Nico is allowing Jenson to walk him back to his flat, and yeah, Jenson actually lives pretty close and doesn’t really have to walk far off from his usual route, but still. They’re walking close, there’s a lot of touching, flirtatious tones but nothing overt, nothing quite that bold – Nico clings to his final strands of playing hard to get, and Jenson hasn’t dared to make risqué movements yet. It’s all just dipping in the waters. Almost frustrating, Nico would argue.

“This is awfully familiar, but I need to piss, can I drop by at your place? You know, don’t want to do public exposure”, Jenson says when they’re getting near. Nico shakes his head and laughs, totally tipsy.

“If you can guess which window is my apartment, sure”, Nico replies – that should be difficult enough. He points at his building, curious if Jenson actually tries to guess. “Go ahead, where do I live?”

“Ah, you’re mean”, Jenson says, frowning. “There’s a fucking puzzle lock on the door too, I bet.”

“I’m not just going to let you in my flat, even for a leak! I have standards. Take a guess.”

“And if I guess I’ll get in, right? Because I really need to go.”

“Yes, yes! Which one is it?”

There’s a curious moment of contemplation on Jenson’s face which catches Nico’s attention to the degree he sobers up for a second. Nico is good at reading people – that is when he’s not slumped in trying to seem normal – and when he watches Jenson he realises immediately Jenson is _pretending_. Jenson, looking up, his eyes aimlessly drifting and not even an ounce of consideration goes into this, he’s just _pretending_ to scan through the wall of the building, to see which window would be Nico’s, and then he turns to Nico, _pretends_ to not be sure and is shrugging, and then looks back up again, as if he’s following a string that ends on Nico’s window, and points up.

“That one, third row and fifth from left?”

Nico stares him, dumbfounded. Jenson is shifting his weight expectantly.

“Am I right, can I go take a leak?”

“You knew it”, Nico says. “How did you know it?”

Jenson’s drunk, he’s not reacting the way he normally would – he rolls his eyes, huffing in a frustrated manner, again shifting his weight.

“Conspiracy, I guess?” he replies, doesn’t quite sell it as a joke. “Can I go?”

Now it’s Nico who is connecting dots. He stares Jenson, rudely lengthening the suffering. “You don’t know my address, and couldn’t have followed me home at any point, our shifts don’t align like that and I leave before you if they do - how did you know?”

“If you let me in and piss I’ll tell you”, Jenson bargains half-heartedly, more desperate to relieve himself than anything.

Nico’s going to hold him accountable for that.

*

“Boy, you really have a talent”, Jenson says when he emerges from the bathroom. Nico waits in the entryway, arms crossed. “All the outlets are blackened there, faulty wiring I suppose?” he laughs. It’s like he’s forgotten Nico’s confusion outside. Nico certainly hasn’t. He stares Jenson, evaluating him, and Jenson is so drunk he doesn’t understand the true nature of this ogling, but rather smiles in a way that is sort of attractive, but this isn’t the time to think about that.

“Like what you see?” Jenson flirts, his intoxication only boosting his usual confidence. “Because, well, you know I’m very much down for any –“

“How did you know which window was mine?” Nico continues the pestering, the alcohol in his veins fuelling the need to discover the truth. Jenson blinks, probably expecting rejection instead of this, and it takes a few seconds for him to comprehend the content of Nico’s words.

“Lucky guess?” he offers an explanation. “It looked like your window.”

“You’re not normal”, Nico says. “You know things.”

Jenson simply looks at Nico, eyebrows raised in somewhat offended fashion. He raises his hand to his chest, as if he’s ready to berate Nico and even opens his mouth – then his demeanour change to a resigned laziness, and he shakes his head, a smile splayed on his face.

“Should’ve given you more credit, but to my defence I’m not a very good actor”, Jenson admits, does a little curtsy. Nico waits for more, lets Jenson come clean.

“I suppose you’ve figured I know you’re not normal, either?”

Nico cocks his head. The light above them flickers. Jenson looks up at it, amused and impressed.

“Are you a telepath?” Nico asks. “Or how do you know these things?”

“No, no, that’s too easy”, Jenson replies. “I, well – see connections. I ‘connect the dots’, you know?”

Nico finds himself chuckling. “So you actually see conspiracies everywhere.” He looks over his shoulder into his flat, the knowledge that he doesn’t have to hide anything relaxing him. It doesn’t matter if Jenson sees his busted toaster and burnt outlets and flickering lights, the television randomly turning on and off and the sparks that manifest when he gets spooked. He turns back to Jenson, a tipsy sway in his movements as he eyes Jenson from to head to toe, their eyes meeting and Nico feels quite brave now. “Why don’t we sit down for a bit?”

“Oh, now you’re sweet”, Jenson snides. “I should’ve told you this when we met, wouldn’t have had to pay for your drinks –“

“Won’t you shut up, already?” Nico cuts him off, and playfully slaps Jenson’s chest before he walks away into his living room, settles down on the sofa. He gives Jenson a waiting glance. Jenson grins smugly, probably refrains from making a lewd remark as he makes a self-satisfied noise, following Nico to the sofa. He sits down, maybe a little too close, but that’s expected – Nico doesn’t think he really minds it, either.

“I knew something’s up with you the minute I saw you”, Jenson starts. “Well, apart from the spectacular arse and that you’re smoking-“

“Something new, please”, Nico says. “So you saw… connections. Or?”

“Yeah. We had to change lightbulbs on three or four lamps after your first shift. And I saw that you were connected to them, so…”

“How do you see them? Like, red strings and a conspiracy board? That’s what I’ve been assuming you do the minute you opened your mouth on my first day.”

Jenson laughs. His arm is flung over the backrest, inching closer to Nico.

“No, it’s not like that… I just see them. It’s like, I have two sights, normal and the one with the connections, you know?”

Nico shrugs. He’s feeling kind of proud that he figured out this, not that Jenson really has been hiding it – rather just never put it to clear words or given a clue that he’s more than just a weirdo. Still. It’s weird enough for Nico to think not everyone could catch this. His drunkenness makes him excitable.

“So I’m assuming you’re some kind of a technopath? Kind of a lousy one?” Jenson is making a face, and Nico scoffs. Of course Jenson’s going to ignore the fact that he usually fixes everything he breaks.

“More or less, I guess technopath is kind of the right word, with some electricity manipulation thrown in”, he replies cordially. “And I’m not ‘a lousy one’. It’s just not the easiest ability to control when you’re surrounded by tech all the time. Smartphones really fucked us up, you know?”

“Sounds reasonable”, Jenson muses. He quiets down for a moment then, eyes eating up Nico and he, as usual, makes no effort to hide this fact – he might’ve figured Nico kind of likes it. “Electricity manipulation, eh? Does that mean you could literally make sparks fly?”

Nico leans back, Jenson’s arm slipping down to his shoulders. There’s a moment when Nico considers himself, his state of drunkenness, Jenson’s state, and the fact that he’s just got confirmation that Jenson isn’t _that_ kind of a conspiracy weirdo. He then looks at Jenson, properly checks him out, realises the piercing blue of his eyes, his cheekbones and jawline, the warmth of his hands and the musky smell of his cologne, and lets himself revel in Jenson’s obvious attraction to him, the way Jenson is measuring him too, a dark look in his eyes.

Nico cocks his head, quirks his brow.

“You could try find that out.”

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday to vandoorne and (insert other aliases you go by)! aint nothing like october-born scorpio solidarity. also this came out waaaaay longer than i anticipated lmao i just have to put so much banter in


End file.
